Ripple Effect
by Medie
Summary: Crossover with the X-Files, prequel to "The Comfort of Friends". When Jamey betrayed CTU, how far did it go?


Title: Ripple Effect  
Author: M.Edison  
Feedback: Yes please, keep it polite! But send to medison@thezone.net  
Keywords: Crossover, AU  
Spoilers: General ones for Season 8/9 of XF. Up to about 8:30 for 24.  
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. ;-) Caryn however is mine and you wouldn't want  
her. She's too damn stubborn and independant for my liking. ;-)   
Summary: Jamey betrayed CTU, how far did that betrayal run and just how will  
its effect reach...  
  
Ripple Effect  
by M.  
-----  
  
Parking Garage  
J. Edgar Hoover Building  
12:37 p.m. D.C. Time  
  
"Aw hell..."  
  
Staring balefully at her shoe, Caryn Bradford sighed heavily. "This is the   
last thing I need..." She looked around the parking garage and narrowed her  
eyes as if expecting the pooch who'd left the 'surprise' to be waiting nearby.  
"Damn dog." She groused, unlocking the driver's side door and sitting down.   
  
The slim brunette leaned across to the glove compartment and dug out an   
evidence bag. It wasn't the best option...but she wasn't about to go up to  
Kersh's office smelling of doggy doo-doo.   
  
Wincing, she carefully cleaned it off and tossed the baggy into the nearest  
garbage container.  
  
That done, she cleaned her hands with a toilette and took her coat off the   
hood of the car; slamming the door at the same time. The coat went draped   
over one arm while she adjusted the strap of her bag and started toward the   
elevator at the same time.  
  
Another agent reached the elevator before she did and held it for her.  
  
Caryn'd no sooner reached the elevator when her cellphone rang. The little   
tune it played made the tall man before her grin but her answering one was a  
shadow of it's usual strength.   
  
"Thanks, but I have to get this." She stepped out of the elevator once more   
and pulled the small phone from her bag.  
  
"Bradford." Her voice was crisp as she strode toward her car.  
  
"Caryn, it's Jack. Where are you?"  
  
The hurried way her former boss spoke quelled any exclamations of surprise   
at his call. Not that she'd hadn't expected it to be work. She'd programmed  
her cell to ring with the Mission Impossible theme when someone from CTU -   
especially Jack - called. It would give her plenty of time to get clear of   
prying ears before answering.   
  
"The parking garage of the Hoover building, why?"  
  
"Watch the news this morning?"  
  
"The mess with Palmer?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I've seen it." She replied neutrally, keeping an eye out for any possible   
eavesdroppers. "What do you need?"  
  
"In an idealistic world, you in LA backing me up."  
  
"That bad?"  
  
"Worse actually." Bauer sighed heavily then gave her the cliffnote's version  
of his day's events so far. The set up, the pursuit, his family...  
  
"I'm on the first flight." Caryn replied crisply when he was done, her mind   
already working through what needed to be done before she could leave.  
  
"No: we can't afford you breaking your cover over this." Her superior replied  
firmly, his voice distracted, leading her to believe that Jack was leaving   
out a lot more than he'd told her. A lot more. But when didn't he? Jack Bauer  
was definitely a man who liked his secrets and kept them well. "Stay there   
but be ready. You may be compromised; God knows what Jamey told them."   
  
"Shit." She sighed out.   
  
"That about sums it up." he agreed simply before swearing himself. "Gotta go,  
Caryn. Watch your back."  
  
"You too." The other agent echoed, not knowing if he'd heard her or not. She'd  
barely gotten the words out before the dial tone filled her ear.  
  
Looking at the phone, she swore again.   
  
There were times when she enjoyed her current assignment. Really and truly   
enjoyed it, enjoyed the people, and the work, but today wasn't one of them.  
Not after that phone call. Now she would give anything and everything to be  
back in LA, working at CTU like every other operative.   
  
Where she could help.  
  
-----  
  
"The Deputy Director will see you now."  
  
The prim voice of Deputy Director Alvin Kersh's secretary jolted Caryn out   
of her reverie and she stood, nodding her thanks, and walked into the office.  
  
"Good morning Agent Bradford." Kersh rose to greet her, hand outstretched,   
and she barely managed to force down the shudder of disgust in time to shake  
it.  
  
"The same to you, sir." She replied in her best professional agent tone.  
  
"Please," he continued in that same concillatory tone that made her bristle   
with irritation. "Have a seat."  
  
"Thank you, sir." Sliding into the chair, she tucked her legs to one side   
and met his gaze evenly, without challenge. When George Mason had offered   
her this assignment several years prior, she'd leapt at it. The chance to   
slip CTU agents into positions in various govermental agencies had seemed   
golden. The idea that some agencies had been penetrated by various terriorist  
organizations was chilling but entirely possible, or so the CIA believed,   
and the chance to ensure this wasn't so was simply too good to pass up.   
  
The idea that she had been chosen to be one of them had amazed her even more.  
Though she'd built a solid reputation with the Company she was not as   
experienced as some agents and when Mason had offered her the job, she'd been  
surprised. Thankful but surprised.  
  
Now, sitting in the Deputy Director's office, staring him in the face, Caryn   
had begun to regret that decision. Though she'd investigated him to the best  
of her ability, she'd been unable to find any sign that Alvin Kersh was   
anything but an upstanding FBI agent who had a serious jones for the Director's  
chair. She knew he was more than willing to go farther than most in order to   
secure that position but she couldn't find any proof that he'd crossed the   
line to do so.  
  
It annoyed her, but she annoyed easily. Or at least Jack Bauer had told her  
she did. Though she hadn't worked in the CTU's offices for years, she'd managed  
to work with Bauer several times during the period she'd been under in the   
FBI - supposedly as an FBI liasion to CTU - and they'd developed a good rapport.  
A friendship.  
  
She forwned slightly. What was going down in LA?  
  
"Agent Bradford?"   
  
Damn.  
  
'Focus, Caryn' she told herself briskly before offering a smile to her supposed  
superior. "Sorry, sir, it's been an odd morning."  
  
Kersh, though clearly wondering what she'd been thinking about, accepted the   
comment with a nod and continued to speak, outlining an assignment he'd been   
told to give her.   
  
Told?   
  
She perked up, realizing what he was talking about was exactly what she'd   
been wondering about.  
  
"According to your records, Agent, you've worked with the CTU on a number of  
occasions."  
  
"Yes, sir." She nodded quickly, adrenaline beginning to race through her   
veins. Jack had told her to stay in D.C. to protect her cover, but if the  
*FBI* sent her to California, now that wasn't breaking cover was it? "It's   
been about six months since my last assignment with them but they're a fine  
group."  
  
"Good. How much of the situation with Senator Palmer are you aware of?" Kersh  
prompted, reaching for a file folder.  
  
"That there's been an attempt on his life and that there's likely to be more  
before the day's out." She quirked a smile. "He's not exactly short on enemies."   
  
"Indeed he isn't." The Deputy Director agreed, handing her the file. "Pack a   
bag and take the first flight. Nina Meyers has been briefed on your assignment  
and the particulars." His gaze turned stern. "Don't mess this up, Agent. This   
man may be the next President."   
  
"Understood, sir." At his gestured dismissial, she stood. "Thank you, sir."   
  
----  
  
She was back in the parking lot before a chilling thought entered her mind.  
  
What if she was being sent to LA because Jamey had given her up to the men   
that had recruited her? What if they intended to get rid of her and the others  
like her. Jamey had access to the computer files that listed CTU operatives   
and their positions. What if she'd given that up? It was worth millions, and  
if she'd been willing to betray Jack...then who else?  
  
Her dark eyes narrowed...  
  
This was going to be one hell of a day.  
  
TBC 


End file.
